Murals

Walk Through the Seasons, (Kit-Kat) Bestway Foods, Great Licks Ice Cream, 21’ x 45’, 967 Wolseley and Ruby Street, Winnipeg, MB, 2012, latex on brick

Sponsors: Take Pride Winnipeg, Hertz Equipment Rentals, Paterson Foundation

Walk Through the Seasons is often a difficult but necessary task when dealing with the loss of a loved one, divorce, separation, relocation, or any number of life changing experiences. This Mural is meant to brighten the neighborhood with its pure colours and also reflect the environment in which so many Wolseley residents live. Often one will see people walking their dogs or going for a walk down the lovely treed area, lined with quaint, older homes. The suggestion is to take the dogs lead, grab the leash and increase this healthy habit by walking your dog, through the seasons, through the spring, summer, fall even winter. The colours range from springtime cool colours such as blue and green to autumn orange, yellow and red. There are a variety of individuals featured in the Mural, from children, students to middle aged. All are found on the streets or sidewalks, cycling or just hanging out.

When I was working on this design last summer, I took photographs of infamous Garfield Street and the streets beside it including Sherburn Street. The original idea was to have recycling boxes lining the streets, promoting the city’s goal of increasing the amount of recycled goods per capita. Soon, the city introduced the tall recycling boxes and distributed them to all households. One of my friends visiting from Florida (Ben) modeled for me, lifting recycled boxes, stacking them and dropping milk jugs into the bins. This may have messed up people’s back lanes but it was great to have a model who looked both aboriginal and white loading and unloading these full recycling boxes. I never did use him in the mural but when it came time to paint the central female figure I tried to make her look like him (but it did not work). The reflections made me think of Terry Farrell, a senior artist who lived in Swan River at one time and whose work I admired. His paintings were always bright and brilliant, using yellow as a base and majoring on reflections, much like the Group of Seven. Dale Wiebach in Swan River would understand because she introduced his work to me. The family on the right is my cousin Rebecca Collard-Paulin and her husband Allan Paulin and their two young children. They just had their photographs taken by Hula Hoop Photography so I borrowed this great shot of them interacting. The house on the left is located at 49 Sherburn St. South, Winnipeg but I changed the colours to reflect our very first home in Swan River, Manitoba. It looked like a Christmas house with a red brick base, a green roof and golden trim which brings the colours of the festive season into the Mural. I included a few cats to balance out the animal kingdom, added the owner’s dog.

What We Build, Hertz Equipment Rental, 12’ x 88’, 1600 Gamble Place, Winnipeg, MB, 2012, latex on raised brick

Sponsor: Take Pride Winnipeg, Hertz Equipment Rental

Dave Mintenko, the manager of Hertz Equipment Rental approached me about a Mural for the side of their building where their staff takes lunch breaks. Initially he wanted all of his staff painted in the Mural, working on machines, or in the buildings but as we progressed we decided a group photo would be better.

The main goal was to feature all of the buildings that their equipment helped build. We began with the Richardson International Airport expansion, the MTS Centre, the Museum of Human Rights, the new Bomber Stadium and Provencher Bridge. I used the road ramp up to the arrivals as the entry point and collaged much of the people and equipment on this section. It proved to be very busy, so I simplified it by omitting the airport, and putting the other four buildings in chronological order from past to present, left to right. The airport underwent its expansion in 2011, the building of the Museum of Human Rights was did not have the glass on in 2011 and the Bomber stadium had the beams up when I began taking photographs. When I took photographs of the Museum of Human Rights, the Esplanade Riel was in the background so I decided to include both in the Mural. The addition of the Salisbury House logo was a last minute detail to honour Earl Barish who owns the property and also owns Salisbury House.

All of their current 2012 staff are in the photograph. Dave Mintenko (the manager) gathered everyone together, got them to wear the new shirt uniform and took a group photo. This worked well as it focused the detail in one area. This was the first time I did a painting limiting the colour palette to cool colours (blues and purples) and contrasting warm colours (orange and yellow) for emphasis. The idea here was to make the equipment stand out against the buildings. All the machines were supposed to be orange and yellow while the buildings were to be blue, receding in the background. Once I was on-site painting, some of the staff felt strongly about the boom lift remaining blue, so I made this change. It did alter the overall effect slightly, but it made everyone happy.

The best part was being able to paint with my son, Manny whom I ‘hired’ as my apprentice. He was only 12 at the time and took a real interest in painting, climbing the scaffolding and saving money. Together, we painted an extra section at the front where we put a Hertz logo. When this was finished, he was able to apply this knowledge of the Hertz Rental sign to the Mural. He is responsible for painting the sign which is located between the MTS Centre and the Museum of Human Rights. I think he did a great job!

A Look at the Nook, The Nook, 13’ x 46’, 43 Sherbrooke Street, Winnipeg, MB, 2011, latex on stucco

Sponsors:  West Broadway BIZ, Take Pride Winnipeg, Winnipeg Foundation, Richardson Foundation

This popular breakfast stop is a long standing Winnipeg tradition. It has been a great place to get breakfast, lunch or supper and it has been the resting place for many tired nurses, students, patients, or just about anyone seeking a good meal. Mr. and Mrs Parasidis purchased the restaurant over 25 years ago from the Alba twins (Italian brothers) and have made a go of it ever since. Formerly it used to be a Salisbury house and hosted the typical red bar seats which were recently taken out but the booths remained.  Athina had collected several old photographs from patrons which showed the history of the exterior of the building and the many patrons that visited the establishment over the years. Together with a few other photographs from Misericordia Hospital, I came up with a design they loved. I went across the street to an attic in the hospital to find a photo of the original hospital taken in 1937 and the Single Mother’s Birthing Hospital that used to stand beside the Nook in a residential house (where the parking garage now stands). Athina requested that the image of their uniquely designed T-shirts be somewhere in the design. As well, I asked them if they wanted their portraits in the Mural and I took their photos; Bill and Athina arm in arm.

My goal was to recreate the past based on the historical photos. Most were taken around 1940-50 and were excellent depictions of the black and white era. I took one photo and extended its sides and imagined where it would be, dropped the neighborhood beside it, Misericordia Hospital to the right and voila. I filled it with people standing, leaning, laughing in groups or alone to make it look like the patrons of the past. I included Bill and Athina’s father who is standing in front of the door, looking like the Italian-Stallion (Sylvester Stallone). Behind them two figures emerge from the door with an old fashioned Coca-Cola advertisement below. Putting ads on the buildings was a way to pay for the building and was a common practice. In the old snapshots, the outside of their building was covered with Sweet Caporal ads which were elaborately painted. Former owners names such as Bill and Athina, the Alba brothers, Queens Tea Room and Salisbury House were painted on the side of the wall, along with the actual words that used to be painted on the top of the building: ‘refreshments’, ‘soft drinks’, ‘hot meals served’. My favourite part of the wall is the left side where the old birthing hospital stands in colourful detail and two old cars are parked. My Dad used to own a baby blue and red Ford Falcon so I thought of him when choosing the colours. The Alba brothers are posing side by side with the one cheekily stepping on the other’s toes.  The Nook was often open late at night and it was a great spot to go after hours when everything else closed. Often private school girls found themselves playing hooky in their seats. It was near several high schools such as Grant Park, St Mary’s, Balmoral Hall, Kelvin and Westgate. On the right a ‘Car Stop’ stands with several boys waiting for the bus. In the window the Parasidis family is sitting down to play cards, with the Uncle (with a broken arm) on the left and Mr and Mrs Parasidis on the right. This scene reminds me of my Scottish Grandmother who often plays cards and my (deceased) Italian Grandfather who would count money on the old table downstairs after a good day at the market.

Run into Learning, Ecole Marie Anne Gabouray, 31’ x 100’, 50 Hastings Boulevard (corner of Dakota and St Mary’s Rd), Winnipeg, MB, 2011, latex on cinder block

Sponsor: Take Pride Winnipeg

This colourful, vivacious wall is part of the Louis Riel School Divison and is a French immersion school with children learning from grades K-8.  It is located in the playground on the upper part of the gym wall below the basketball courts, beside the soccer field and parking lot.  Hastings school shares the grounds with Ecole Gabouray and if you are standing in the back of Hastings school, you can get a great view of the mural.  Some of the former students of Ecole Marie-Anne Gabouray had painted the wall with a rainbow, the school mascot, parliament building, a bus and teepees but the paint was pealing so it needed to be repainted.

With a change in mascot, the Principal Marc Poirier wanted students to come up with the idea for the mural and include a reference to Louis Riel’s grandmother, Marie-Anne Gabouray.  Near the end of the year, some grade 7 and 8 students made a list of words that represented the school; “the power of MAG, respect, safe, fun, sports, educational, leadership, helpful.”  A sketch was made of a large book with figures coming out of it.  These figures represented the various subjects in the school such as computers, science, math, physical education and some of the activities played on the school yard.  The students and principal asked for a mural that would reflect their school beliefs, mainly who they are and what they do.  Since the school was a part of the Louis Riel School Division and I previously taught art at George McDowell School, I knew the art curriculum and some of the lessons that Karen Geist, the visual arts consultant had made available to all teachers in the division.  A very popular inservice inspired by Norval Morrisseau, an Aboriginal, Woodlands, Canadian artist who paints legends of his people and stories of his Christian beliefs was presented to early years teachers.  Students used his characteristic thick, black outlines to create the skeleton of animals and people which were later filled with bright pure colours.  The black line was meant to suggest a continuous contour line dividing good from evil or one idea from the next.  Even though this school has never had an art specialist, I knew I had to come up with something that was fitting for the school, the students and the division.

“Run into Learning” is an energetic look at some of the activities played on the school grounds and the learning that happens inside the school.  Stylistically it suggests Aboriginal paintings or children’s artwork, the imagination of readers and the real life energy of young learners.  The soccer field and cloudy sky provides a common background to the composition bringing together the events on the left with the learning on the right.  An orange flying book comes to life with every subject from math, language arts, computers, physical education, music to art.  A scientific specimen is examined as colours flow from its base, suggesting optics; the basis for colour theory, mixing everything from three primary colours.  As the mural progresses so does ones imagination with a fairytale land hiding beneath her chin providing an entrance to another world.  The school words are written in the book as a handbook of beliefs.  The  little girl playing blocks is a reference to the daycare located in the school basement.  A portrait of Marie-Anne Gabouray is placed to the right of the new school logo.  Two Asian girls were added to give diversity to the kind of activities played on the playground.  The children running toward the soccer ball suggest the frequent games played on the field and the energy that many students put into their studies.  They have things in common yet are different.  The solid black line that shows up so often in Norval Morrisseau’s work and the Woodland Artist’s style indicates an interdependence of relationships.  It also breaks up different ideas for example active learning verses traditional learning.  The simplicity of colour and line suggests student work which is often bright and brilliant.

Beaujana’s French Table, St. Boniface, 16’ x 40’, 302 Hamel Street, Winnipeg, MB, 2011, latex on rough stucco

Sponsor: Hertz Equipment Rental, Take Pride Winnipeg

This is a bright, bold depiction of an outdoor cafe located in the French district. It serves a Parisian or Riviera bouquet of flavours to match the surprise suppers that chef Randy cooks up. The owners, Randy and Beaujena took over the premises in 2006 and have been cooking up feasts ever since. Open only on Friday or Saturday night (reservation only), the couple prepares and serves authentic French cuisine with at least 5 courses, catered directly for their guests. The wine tasting option creates a relaxing, romantic evening for couples, business associates or families. Tucked away in St. Boniface, on the corner of Hamel and St Jean Baptiste the commercial building will give you a wonderful, luxurious experience in this quiet, bilingual, residential area.

Many know of this building as the Red Barron, as it was formerly known, creating a historical reference to the area. Since the restaurant is Beaujena’s ‘baby,’ she held the vision. She wanted something that echoed what they already had on the front and interior of the building but they wanted to spruce it up a bit and make it brighter. Beaujena suggested an outdoor cafe with a quaint French promenade in the background and agreed to having their portraits somewhere in the mural. It had to have her characteristic table and chairs.  From a small fauvist illustration that Beaujena liked and a painting of Van Gogh’s outdoor cafe, I concocted a design that I thought was fitting for the location. She loved it, so it was a go.

The bike was my idea knowing that they are so popular in France. The window where the menu is placed was painted blue to match the blue door. I designed it so the door and window would merge and this worked perfectly as Beaujena came up with the idea to paint its interior. I recall spending much care on the French village ‘wrap around’ because it reminded me of my favourite part of Europe; the enclosed streets with towers of windows and tiny cobblestone footpaths (which cars frequently drove on). I had the thrill of traveling across Europe in 1991 (for 3 months) so I used part of that memory in the mural. It is surprising how those great adventures stay with you. My kids liked climbing the scaffolding, especially my son who was 12 at the time. Often I painted around the clock which was quite enjoyable since it was much quieter and cooler at night. I was determined to finish since I had three murals to paint that summer. As a whole I think it was quite a collaborative effort between myself and the owner. She had a clear idea of what she wanted and I tried to pull her desires and my expertise together. I think it was a good fit because we were all pleased with the results.

Secret Garden, Assiniboine Park, pillars 16 ft tall, mural 12’ x 35’, Route 90 Underpass and Wellington Crescent, Winnipeg, MB, 2010, latex on cement

Sponsors: Richardson Foundation Incorporated, Take Pride Winnipeg, The City of Winnipeg, Hertz Equipment Rentals.

On the other side of this underpass is another mural, Secret Garden which demonstrates the recent developments the city has made to the English Gardens, the sports played in the park and the Leo Mol Sculptures which adorn its pathways.  As part of the city’s plans for zoo expansion, they would like to add red panda’s to their animals so I depicted them high in the trees on the pillars.  The various pathways meander through the mural, surrounding a manicured pond with a Leo Mol sculpture of wrestling bears.  A couple teens grapple to catch a frisbee in the game Ultimate.  Cricket is also featured in the bottom right side under the bridge.  A close up of a young man striking a cricket ball is on the right pillar with a lovely view of the Assiniboine River flowing behind the edifice.  

Polar Bear Splash, Assiniboine Park Zoo, pillars 14 ft tall, mural 12’ x 40’, Route 90 Underpass and Wellington Crescent, Winnipeg, MB, 2010, latex on cement

Sponsors: Richardson Foundation Incorporated, Take Pride Winnipeg, The City of Winnipeg, Hertz Equipment Rentals.

Tom Ethans, is the executive director of Take Pride Winnipeg; a non profit organization focused on graffiti removal and beautifying the city.  I first met Tom at a mural luncheon in 2006.  Since then, Tom helped me to get the Millers Meats mural which won mural of the year in 2009 and he has commissioned two underpasses, Polar Bear Splash and Secret Garden.  I have learned that Tom takes great pride in what he does and is a great support to artists and community members.  He arranged for donated paint, scaffolding and most of all the Green Team who tirelessly pressure washed the wall, preparing the surface for priming.  Every day Tom was available on his cell and many days he would drop by for a visit.  With this wall in particular, he set me up for success.  I was able to improve on the existing mural and the conditions were ideal; I could paint when it rained.  Most of all, Tom has taught me to trust him;  I learned that he really is a good guy and he will do whatever he can to help me.  He has a heart of gold and I am very thankful to him for commissioning these murals, for his tireless support and professionalism.  He finds money in the most lucrative places and where none else can!

Bob Buchanan, is the web administrator for the murals of winnipeg website, founder of Feed my Lambs Mission and husband to Louise Buchanan (who is a great support to him).  The murals of Winnipeg is an active site, with over 300,000 visitors since its inception in 2003.  That means that half of all Winnipeg-ers have visited this site.  It hosts all the current murals, most of the old ones (in the RIP section), a mapping interface to plan your mural-seeing adventure, artist profiles, links and more.  This kind of a site is run from Bob’s home where he tirelessly volunteers, interviewing artists, documenting murals, (taking unwanted photographs), visiting mural sites and planning this annual event.  Bob and I share a passion for murals.  Painting murals is something that gets in your blood (it’s better than insulin).  One of my best memories is on a cold, 30 below morning when he picked me up at my house, stopped at Tim Hortons to fill up our refillable coffee mugs (you save money that way), and painstakingly charted out to find murals that were lost on the radar.  Sure enough he found them, one covered over, two alive and well.  He took great delight in checking these off until all 500 were accounted for.  For me, Bob is my personal steam coach; fueling me in times of need and infuriating me at others.  He likes to remind me that I am senile, overprotective and in need of a real job (NOT).  Although he can be antagonistic, Bob is my biggest fan.  He attended all my art gallery openings, bought “Rockwell’s Dream Continued” (a mural submission I did), helped me cart my paintings across town, gave me his shoulder to cry on, shared contacts with me, sent me calls for submissions, went to conferences with me and became my friend.  I love Bob because I can swear with him on Saturday and go to church with him on Sunday.  Despite all he does for me and other artists, Bob volunteers for the Transcona Food Bank and Feed My Lambs Mission, handing out food to the hungry and providing breakfast and a movie.  A man of his calibre is not easily found and I think Winnipeg is rich because of him.  He too suffered a divorce and could relate to much of my emotional trauma. 

Some highlights for me on this wall, Polar Bear Splash are the juxtaposition between large and small (innocent toddler in front of the large bear), the caring relationship between the bears, the sense of playfulness and the interactive educational component.  The colours and composition of Polar Bear Splash worked well together from the very beginning and it is nice to see it come together, providing a refreshing pause.  My kids and I took numerous trips to the park where I accumulated hundreds of photographs for the mural.  It took about a year from the time I did the first drawing to the actual painting of the wall.  Even though it took awhile, it was worth the wait. 

Murals in Winnipeg

Nowhere else in this land can you find
A city with 500, one of a kind
Hand painted, diverse murals.
Whether they are urban scenes or rural

They give Artist’s a voice
Opportunities to create – a choice
Progressively they get better
Anticipated – for what seems to be forever

But once the mural is realized
And the plan unfolds
The mural comes to life
For all to behold.